A new study suggests high dose Omega-3 supplements may give NCAA American Football players protection from continuous head injuries in addition to providing cardiovascular benefits.
Consistent sub-concussive head impacts (RHI) throughout a football season are associated with increases in levels of a biomarker of nerve fiber injury called Nf-L (serum neurofilament light).
Two NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) football teams participated in this non-randomized multi site trial. One team, the NCAA Division I team received a 2000mg dose of an Omega-3 supplement the other team, a NCAA Division III team was considered to be the control group. 31 players received an Omega-3 supplement starting in preseason and continuing throughout the whole regular season. 35 players were monitored during preseason and throughout the remainder of the regular season but did not receive any supplements.
The athletes receiving the Omega-3 supplements showed significant increases in plasma levels of both EPA (111%) and DHA (110%). Omega-3 indexes increased from approximately 4.3% at the beginning of the study to almost 7.5% at the end of the regular season. The control group saw approximately a 55% increase in EPA levels throughout the season with no increases in DHA levels. The Omega-3 Index for the control group decreased at the end of the study.
Researchers also found that Nf-L levels had increased approximately 50% in the control group at the end of preseason and continued to be high for the whole season of play. The Omega-3 group however did not experience any significant increases in Nf-L levels.
This is not the first time research has found Omega-3 to be associated with beneficial outcomes for individuals either at risk for or suffering from head trauma. A 2016 review found an advantage to using Omega-3’s to optimize the “nutritional foundation” of traumatic brain injury and concussion patients.
Further studies are warranted.
Here is some additional information about Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids:
Chemically a fatty acid is an organic acid with an acid group at one end of its molecule and a methyl at the other end. Fatty acids are categorized in the Omega groups 3, 6 or 9 according to the location of their last double bond.
An Essential Fatty Acid is a fatty acid that the body cannot manufacture by itself, in other words they must be obtained through supplementation or through foods. There are 2 fatty acids that are designated as essential fatty acids: linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. There are more fatty acids than these 2 specific essential fatty acids found in the Omega 3-6-9 groups but a healthy body may be able to manufacture them as long as there is enough linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, so they are considered non-essential fatty acids. There are however certain health benefits to be obtained by intaking some of the non-essential fatty acids directly, especially in the case of the Omega 3 fatty acids.
The Need for More Omega 3
Humans evolved on a diet that had approximately a 1:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), today our Western diet contains a ratio of 15:1 – 16.7:1. A typical Western diet is deficient in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and has an overabundance of Omega-6 Fatty Acids when compared to the diet in which humans evolved and their genetic patterns were established. In a study done by The Harvard School of Public Health over 96,000 deaths in the US were attributed to being caused by an Omega-3 deficiency. Other research shows that excessive amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids and high Omega-6/Omega-3 ratios promote many types of diseases like autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease. It is obvious that increasing Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake is necessary for a healthier population.
Molecular Distillation
The public was made aware of excessive levels of mercury, a neurotoxic heavy metal, as well as PCBs and other toxic organic compounds found in certain fish species from a well-publicized federal advisory in 2001. It was determined that fish oil supplements could also be subject to excessive levels of these neurotoxins. It makes choosing a “CLEAN” fish oil even more important than ever. For this very reason Viva Vitamins uses pure, high quality, molecularly distilled Omega-3 EPA/DHA fish oil in the products they manufacture. Molecular distillation is a process where all heavy metals and PCBs are virtually removed from the fish oil. Additionally extensive testing is performed to verify that all federal standards of purity have not just been met but have been surpassed.
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